Banned BooksThere are many reasons why a book might end up on a library or school's list of "banned books." Some book titles find themselves on a banned book list for a reason that seems pretty silly or far fetched, while other books might make it be more difficult to justify having a spot on the shelf in a classroom or in a school library.

Brainstorm:In your notebook, list 3 reasons why someone might think The Outsiders should be banned from school libraries, or why teachers should be banned from this novel in the classroom.

The Outsiders is a novel by S. E. Hinton set in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1965. Hinton was 15 when she started writing the novel and 18 when it was published in 1967.

The book follows two rival groups, the Greasers and the Socs, who, divided by their dissimilar socioeconomic status hold on to what they can amid the turbulent social changes of the 1960’s.

The Outsiders was quite a controversial book when it was released, and it remains so today.

In 1986, it was challenged in South Milwaukee, Wisconsin for its inclusion on an eighth grade reading list because “drug and alcohol abuse was common and virtually all the characters were from broken homes.”

It is ranked #43 on the American Library Association’s Top 100 Most Challenged Books of 1990-2000 and has been banned from some schools and libraries because of its portrayal of gang violence, underage smoking and drinking, strong language, slang usage, and exposé on family dysfunction.

In 1992, it was challenged in the Boone, Iowa School District because the book was seen as glamorizing smoking and drinking and uses excessive violence and obscenities.

It was challenged in 2001 at George Washington Middle School in Eleanor, West Virginia due to objections to the focus on gangs and gang fights.

The book was written about teenagers by a teenager, and parents generally objected, claiming that their children are being exposed to things they aren’t prepared for and insist schools pull it from their curriculums; some also say it promotes “unchristian values” and site its lack of adult role models. bannedbooks.world.edu

﻿Your Task:Write an Opinion Piece - Should The Outsiders be banned from schools or libraries?

Turn the question around to state your claim. Then write a response supporting why you feel this way. Unlike, our previous arguments, this IS an opinion piece. You may use evidence from the text to support your claim, but you may also use examples from your own life experiences.

Be sure to include text evidence from the article describing why some feel this book should be banned.﻿

Your response should include an introduction, your claim supported with examples, and should address a counter claim.